What Emmanuelle Movie Did You Just Watch?

[Captain Russ]

I honestly think more people need to give QoS another go round. Its no classic, but I think its got a lot going for it.

I value my time too much.

[Matt]

SKYFALL

Still digesting it. I liked it but didn't love it.

Likes:
- The opening sequence is aces, one of the top 5 in the series.
- The Shanghai fight, where they're fighting in silhouette, is one of the best choreographed and lit fights I've ever seen on film. It's a cinematic orgasm.
- This is one of the best acted films in the series.
- The cinematography is stunning. Oscar worthy.
- Silva is a compelling villain

Dislikes:
- The pacing is off. Once Bond gets back to M and starts re-training, the pacing starts to slow down. Too much. It picks back up again at the end when they're up in Scotland, thank God. The movie did not need to be this long.
- Bond isn't a spy in this one. He's an assassin. This isn't a Bourne film, it's a Bond film. I like to see brains being used, not just brawn.
- Silva's plan has no real consequences for the world. There's no scale to it. Indeed, this is probably the most trivial plot in the entire franchise. I don't need him to be a megalomaniac out for world destruction, but I also need more than a 'Revenge against M'. story.

If I look at this as a BOND ORIGIN story rather than a BOND film, I like it more. I wanted a BOND film, though.

I still liked it.

[Matt]

Another issue: the subway crash.

It's a really cool moment when the subway train comes crashing through the ceiling and causes destruction. However:
- It's rush hour, and the train is empty except for the driver. Where are all of the people? The prior scenes showed that the trains were all jam-packed full of travelers.
- Once the crash happens, that's it. The scene cuts to Silva running away, followed by Bond looking for him (IIRC). Why waste such an impressive stunt on so trivial a matter? There's no follow-through at all.

[Matt]

Another thing: 90% of the time that Bardem was onscreen, I was distracted by his nose. The man should not be filmed from a low angle ever again.

[Martin]

Haven't seen it, but Bardem looks completely retarded in it. He makes Kefka in Final Fantasy VI look like Dwayne Johnson.

[Ben Thomas]

Bardem's great.

[Ben Thomas]

Speaking of great, just got back from Argo. It's not my favourite film of the year, it's not even my favourite film of Affleck's directorial career, but it's solid as hell and Affleck juggles the three tonally-different elements - international drama, Hollywood insider comedy and tense thriller - expertly. The boy's got chops. I kind of hope that he doesn't get the awards for this one though, cos he's got better in him yet. I applaud his decision to stick to what he's good at rather than going the Bryan Singer route and taking on big 'Hollywood' projects.

It's also kind of a shame that Alan Arkin picked up a Best Supporting statue for Little Miss Sunshine, cos he's great here and would surely have been nommed here if not for his recent win. So, while it didn't have the emotional punch and moral complexity of Gone Baby Gone, it is a thoroughly entertaining and intelligent film. And its got one of the best casts of the year. Not just the 'names' like Affleck, Arkin, Cranston and Goodman, but superb support from Tate Donovan, Rory Cochrane and Scoot McNairy, who - along with his excellent turn in Killing Them Softly - is having quite the year. I like him a lot and hope this film's success leads to more character parts for him.

[Matt]

Loved ARGO. Capital work from everyone involved.

Argo fuck yourself!

[Abraham Smashington]

Tower Heist. Passable but forgettable.

Ocean's 11. What Tower Heist wanted to be but failed miserably at. That being said, I still prefer 12. Casey Affleck is the unsung hero of this.

[Timothy225]

Skyfall. WOW. This film more than made up for the weaker bits in Quantum of Solace, and was a great return to form for the franchise. I get each of the points Matt made earlier, but I was still way more entertained with this film than disappointed. The ending was a nice back to the beginnings of the franchise, very apropos of Bond's 50th anniversary. If Craig keeps on keeping on, he'll be my favorite Bond even over Connery. Definitely recommended.

Matt, with you on Bardem's nose. Never need to see him at that angle again.

Also, Chronicle. The love for this film... I get it. I feel it. Apart from some "eh" CGI here and there, I enjoyed where the film took me. The leads were great as far as unknowns go, and the directing/pacing was very tight - very little draggy scenes that screwed up the momentum. I'd love to see a sequel to this with the remaining lead, but I'm also afraid a sequel might cheapen the flick a bit.

[Martin]

Speaking of great, just got back from Argo. It's not my favourite film of the year, it's not even my favourite film of Affleck's directorial career, but it's solid as hell and Affleck juggles the three tonally-different elements - international drama, Hollywood insider comedy and tense thriller - expertly. The boy's got chops. I kind of hope that he doesn't get the awards for this one though, cos he's got better in him yet. I applaud his decision to stick to what he's good at rather than going the Bryan Singer route and taking on big 'Hollywood' projects.

It's also kind of a shame that Alan Arkin picked up a Best Supporting statue for Little Miss Sunshine, cos he's great here and would surely have been nommed here if not for his recent win. So, while it didn't have the emotional punch and moral complexity of Gone Baby Gone, it is a thoroughly entertaining and intelligent film. And its got one of the best casts of the year. Not just the 'names' like Affleck, Arkin, Cranston and Goodman, but superb support from Tate Donovan, Rory Cochrane and Scoot McNairy, who - along with his excellent turn in Killing Them Softly - is having quite the year. I like him a lot and hope this film's success leads to more character parts for him.

It's a very well done movie, but the more I think of it, the more Argo is a pure work of fiction. Mendez was just a C-level CIA stooge who barely did shit, and he protrayed as a hero, instead of the dude who just delivered passports. I loved how Ken Taylor (who wasn't invited to the Toronto premiere...) wrote to Affleck telling him he's full of shit, forcing him to change the ending text. I know Americans won't give a flying shit, even here, but for us it's a sad affair as the US are our close ally.

Tower Heist. Passable but forgettable.

Ocean's 11. What Tower Heist wanted to be but failed miserably at. That being said, I still prefer 12. Casey Affleck is the unsung hero of this.

Yeah, that Affleck was the single shining spot in the dreck...

Also, Chronicle. The love for this film... I get it. I feel it. Apart from some "eh" CGI here and there, I enjoyed where the film took me. The leads were great as far as unknowns go, and the directing/pacing was very tight - very little draggy scenes that screwed up the momentum. I'd love to see a sequel to this with the remaining lead, but I'm also afraid a sequel might cheapen the flick a bit.

I wanted to yell TETSUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOO right at the end.

[Abraham Smashington]

Nitro Circus Flick on Youtube.

[Matt]

THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH

Product. That's all that this film is. Oh, we need another episode? Here you go, enjoy.

It wasn't as bad as I remembered but it's certainly not good my any stretch of the imagination. The pacing is off and the actions scenes lack any real oomph (or are boring as fuck, like the parahawk sequence). The acting from the principals is actually quite good...save for Denise Richards. The ingrown hair on my left cheek has more acting ability than she possesses.

So yeah. DIE ANOTHER DAY tonight. Gonna buy a new bottle of scotch for that one.

[B_Metal]

Nitro Circus Flick on Youtube.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[Matt]

DIE ANOTHER DAY

I haven't seen this all the way through since 2002 (when I saw it in the theater). It started out pretty good, actually...I was wondering if maybe, just maybe, it wasn't as bad as I remembered.

Then, they hit Iceland.

Oh yeah, NOW I remember why this film sucked and continues to suck.

I do not ever plan to watch this film again. Life is too short.